Wild and Free (The Three #3)(67)

They lined up in a semicircle ten feet from Abel.

He divided his attention between the first vampire and the wolf, not only because their threat was strongest, but because they were tense in a way that didn’t sit well with Abel for this supposed we’re-all-friendly meeting.

They didn’t move when, as planned, Chen entered the room at their backs and Hook and his men entered from the kitchen, surrounding the women and the vampires and wolf in a circle around the room. Then again, they saw Chen and he knew they smelled the others.

“Precautions,” one of the other vampires said, the one he knew to be Gregor. “I understand, Abel, but I do hope we can establish trust quickly as much needed to get done this morning prior to our meeting and I haven’t had my morning coffee.”

As if Gregor didn’t speak, the vampire he knew to be Lucien stated, “You feel it.”

Abel looked to the tall, bulky, black-haired vampire and saw Lucien’s black eyes sharp on him.

He didn’t know how, but he got what the guy was saying.

They weren’t edgy because of him.

They were edgy because they knew.

It was a dark day.

“I feel it,” he confirmed.

“Fuck,” the wolf called Callum growled.

Abel looked to him and saw the large, dark-haired man’s light blue eyes were turning tawny.

And there it was. Another part to his wolf. But where Abel had two-colored eyes, one going brown when he felt extreme depth of emotion, this wolf had the same colored eyes and they both went tawny.

“We’re fine,” Gregor put in, his gaze to Lucien and Callum. Then he turned to Abel. “As much as I wish to discuss other things, as a priority, you need to be aware that it’s come to our attention that our enemy has returned. They’re outside the city limits, likely in an effort at keeping you, as well as ourselves, unaware they’ve returned.”

This was not good.

“We have human scouts all over, however, so this intelligence has been reported to us. And I can assure you we have one who is currently watching them for signs of approach,” Gregor went on.

“They’re approaching,” Abel told him.

Gregor shook his head. “Our scout is checking in every ten minutes. They’re miles out.” He drew in breath and finished cautiously, “You should also know we have a legion of wolves fifty miles to the north and a regiment of vampires fifty miles to the south. They’re also aware that the enemy has returned, but their presence is still secret. They’re set to advance at our call, which we will give them at any sign the enemy is on the move.”

Abel was not a big fan of knowing Serpentine Bay was surrounded by supernaturals, but in that moment, he chose not to dwell.

He looked to Lucien and Callum. “You know this?”

“Yes,” Lucien answered.

Callum only nodded.

“That make you feel any better?’ Abel asked.

“No,” Lucien answered.

Callum again growled.

“It’s fine,” Gregor stated impatiently. “And we have much to discuss. We should—”

Abel cut him off by looking to Xun and saying, “Be alert.”

“Already am,” Xun replied.

“More alert, brother,” Abel said low.

Xun held his gaze steady and nodded.

Abel glanced around to all the men. “Threat not from within,” he told them.

He got more nods and there was shifting of feet as they moved from facing the inner circle to facing out.

“Really, this is not—” Gregor began again but then stopped, tensed, bent slightly, and whipped his head around, baring his teeth, his fangs extending.

But Abel already sensed it, as did Lucien, Callum, and the other vampire, Yuri, all of them having the same reaction except Callum, who didn’t have fangs to bare. Instead, he crouched in preparation to transform.

“Jesus, shit.” Abel heard Jabber mutter.

“Sonia, get the women under the table,” Callum growled. “Now!” he roared, crouched deeper and jumped, coming to wolf, snarling.

Abel heard chairs scraping, sensed Delilah and Jian-Li moving, smelled their fear, but he had to focus on fighting the transformation.

They were near and getting closer.

They had no time to run.

“Yuri, call Stephanie and Ryon,” Gregor ordered.

Yuri pulled out his phone.

“Perimeter around the women,” Lucien ordered. “No one breaches it.”

“Got it,” Hooker muttered, his back now to the center of the room, a gun in one hand, his knife in the other.

Xun, Chen, and Wei unsheathed their swords.

Jabber went to the table where the other weapons were hidden. He ducked beside it, Abel heard the steel scrape against the floor, then he emerged with Abel’s sword and tossed it to him, point up.

“Got another one of those?” Lucien asked.

“Or three?” Yuri added, phone to his ear.

“Jabber, outfit them,” Abel ordered.

Quickly, Jabber, going from table to table where the weapons were hidden, did as told.

Abel smelled it, felt it in his throat, and knew what was coming.

“We’re outnumbered,” he informed the room.

“Fuckin’ great,” Moose muttered.